Time to upgrade your garage to a workshop (or whatever)? Start by upgrading your lighting! Today you'll learn about ballasts and temperature... and which fluorescent lamps to avoid. First, keep in mind that not all fluorescent light fixtures work in cold weather. Your selection should be based on the lowest temperature in your garage. Starting temperatures are printed on the ballast, and the regular magnetic ballasts used in standard T-12 fixtures are not recommended for temperatures below 50 degrees. If your garage gets colder than this, buy fixtures with electronic ballasts that start at zero degrees or lower. Also, for cold weather, avoid T-12 ?energy saver? lamps, as they need at least 60 degrees to operate. If you need to see true colors for paints and woodworking, ask for lamps with a color rendering index of 85 or above. It won't be printed on the bulb or package, but it is listed in the company's catalog. If you need it, ask for it!